Thursday, August 7, 2014

Herb Evans on the NKJV vs KJB

Used by permission of Dr. Herb Evans.

THE
NKJV versus the KJB

The
New King James Version starts of with the lie that it is a King James
Version; it is not. The second lie is that it is faithful to the
traditional Received Text or TR. It is not! Still, this is the
translation that some say is BETTER than the AV KJB and is more
faithful to the Greek. The NKJV also claims to make the "old"
KJB "much clearer" by "updating obsolete words"
(New King James Version, 1982 e. p. 1235). And if you think the NKJV
just "innocently" updated the "obsolete words,"
removing the "thee’s and thou’s" - here's what the
translators proudly admit: “IT IS CLEAR that this revision REQUIRED
more than the dropping of "-eth" endings, removing,
"thee's" and "thou's," and updating obsolete
words." (The New King James Version, 1982e. p. 1235).

The
Thomas Nelson Publishers have the audacity to claim in an ad for the
NKJV (Moody Monthly, June 1982, back cover), "NOTHING HAS BEEN
CHANGED except to make the original meaning clearer." In just
the New Testament alone the NKJV removes 2,289 words from the KJV!
The NKJV makes over 100,000 word changes! And many changes match the
NIV, NASV, RSV, or RSV. The New King James is a COUNTERFEIT! It's NOT
NEW! Many of the changes are already in the NIV, NASV, NRSV, or RSV!
It is not the King James Bible!

The
KJB versus the NKJV and the Godhead

Forasmuch
then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the
Godhead
(G2304)
is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's
device. -- Acts 17:29 (KJB)

Therefore,
since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the
Divine
nature
is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, something shaped by art and
man's devising. – Acts 17:29 (NKJV)

For
the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are
clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his
eternal power and Godhead;
so that they are without excuse: -- Rom. 1:20 (KJB)

For
since the creation of the world His invisible things attributes are
clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His
eternal power and Godhead;
so that they are without excuse, -- Rom. 1:20 NKJV

For
in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godheadbodily.
– Col. 2:9 (KJB)

For
in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godheadbodily;
– Col. 2:9 (NKJV)

According
as his divine
(G2304) power
hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness,
through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that
by these ye might be partakers of the divine
(G2304) nature (G5449),
having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. -- 2
Pet. 1:3, 4 (KJB)

.
. . as His divine
(G2304)
power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,
through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by
which have been given unto us exceedingly great and precious
promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine
(G2304) nature (G5449),
having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. -- 2
Pet. 3, 4 (NKJV)

Taking
great liberties with a Greek derivative (THEIOS) of the Greek THEOS
(GOD), the New Age NKJV replaces "Godhead" with "Divine
Nature" in Acts 17:29, as does the NIV. The pre KJB English
Bibles say GODHEAD except for the Rheims bible which says “DIVINITE.”
The RSV says “DEITY.” The JW bible outdoes the NKJV and the
Rheims bible by rendering it “DEVINE BEING.”

How
could the NKJV excuse something like the NKJV's use of "Divine
nature" in Acts 17:29? Well, by referring to 2 Peter 1:3 and 4
in the KJB, which has “divine power” and “divine nature” in
those passages. In the KJB “divine” is used as an adjective and
“power” and “nature” as the nouns with both underlying words
found in the Greek.

In
Acts 17:29 "Theios" is the Greek noun without any
underlying Greek “nature.” Still, the NKJV does reluctantly allow
GODHEAD to remain in Romans 1:20 and Colossians 2:9. The Rheims goes
with "Divinitie" in Rom. 1:20 and strangely with "GODHEAD"
in Col. 2:9, while the ASV/RV goes with "divinity"
(uncapitalized) in Romans 1:20 and Godhead in Col. 2:9. The RSV
sticks with an uncapitalized “deity” in Romans 1:20 and Col. 2:9
but a capitalized Deity in Acts 17:29.

The
NKJV Removal of Worship

The
NKJV agrees with the AV in regard to worship in Matt. 15:25; 18:28;
289, and Acts 10:25 in regard to the translation of the Greek word.
However, it makes a switch and follows the RSV in Matt. 20:20

Then
came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons,
worshipping
him,
and desiring a certain thing of him. -- Matt. 20:20 (KJB)

Then
the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him, with her sons, KNEELING
DOWN,
and asking something from him. -- Matt. 20:20 (NKJV)

There
are Greek words for kneeling, which are not found here. So, where
does Tim get his Greek support for kneeling here? From the RSV, of
course! Of course, the NKJV and others agree with the AV’s”worship”
in Heb. 11:21 and 1 Cor. 14:24, for it is pretty hard to kneel while
worshipping on your staff or falling on your face. The NKJV does not
agree with the KJB in Matt. 18:26 and in fact REMOVES the word
“worshipped” to which there is Greek support. Again,
the NKJV follows the RSV while ignoring the Greek support. Actually,
the JW bible does a better job than either by telling us that the
servant fell down and did obeisance. What
is the moral of this story? This version game is NUTS! Stick with
your King James Bible!

VERSE
COMPARISON of the KING JAMES BIBLE with the NEW KING JAMES bible

(1.)
And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought
down to hell:
for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done
in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. -- Matt. 11:23 (KJB)

And
you, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to
Hades;
for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in
Sodom, it would have remained until this day. -- Matt 11:23 (NKJb)

(2.)
For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's
belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the
heart of the earth. -- Matt. 12:40 (KJB)

For
as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great
fish, so will the
Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
-- Mat 12:40 (NKJb)

(3.)
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I
will build my church; and the gates of hell
shall not prevail against it. -- Matt. 16:18 (KJB)

And
I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build
My church, and the gates of Hades
shall not prevail against it. – Matt. 16:18 (NKJb)

(17.)
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there
shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in
damnable
heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon
themselves swift destruction. -- 2 Pet. 2:1 (KJB)

But
there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will
be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive
heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on
themselves swift destruction. -- 2 Pet 2:1 (NKJb)

(18.)
Hereby perceive we the love of
God, because he
laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the
brethren. -- 1 John 3:16 (KJB)

By
this we know love [of
God missing], because
He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives
for the brethren. -- 1 John 3:16 NKJb)

(19.)
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the
Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye
may believe
on the name of the Son of God. -- 1 John 5:13 (KJB)

These
things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of
God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may
continue to believe
in the name of the Son of God.- 1 John 5:13 (NKJb)

(20.)
I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for
evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell
and of death. -- Rev. 1:18 (KJB)

I
am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.
Amen. And I have the keys of Hades
and of Death. -- Rev 1:18 (NKJb)

(21.)
I know thy works and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat
is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even
in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain
among you, where Satan dwelleth. -- Rev. 2:13 (KJB)

I
know your works, and where you dwell, where Satan's throne
is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith even in
the days in which Antipas was My faithful martyr, who was killed
among you, where Satan dwells. -- Rev 2:13 (NKJb)

(22.)
And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him
was Death, and Hell
followed with him. -- Rev 6:8 (KJB)

So
I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it
was Death, and Hades
followed with him. -- Rev 6:8 (NKJB)

(23.)
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell
delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every
man according to their works. -- Rev. 20:13 (KJB)

The
sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hadesdelivered up the dead
who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his
works. -- Rev 20:13 (NKJb)

(24.)
And death andhell
were cast into the lake of fire. -- Rev. 20:14

Then
Death and Hades
were cast into the lake of fire. -- Rev 20:14 (NKJb)